Public restrooms in Birmingham parks, such as those in this building at Avondale Park, are often locked during regular daytime hours.(The Birmingham News / Hal Yeager)

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama -- Daytime visitors in need of a restroom at Birmingham's city parks often find the doors bolted, but the Park and Recreation Board is looking at ways to change that.

City Councilwoman Maxine Parker, who chairs the board, has asked a subcommittee to evaluate what is needed to make restrooms available to users during regular hours.

Even at some well-used parks, restrooms remain bolted except during special events because there is no regular staff on site to monitor those areas.

"This is something that we really need to look at to make the park user-friendly," Parker said, especially at heavily used parks.

"We'd have to look at how we could fund the opening of the bathrooms," she said.

City officials Wednesday did not provide details on the number of parks where restrooms are routinely locked, but the practice is common.

Restroom accessibility has been an issue for at least 10 years, said Robert Walker, vice president of both the Wahouma neighborhood and the East Lake community.

Walker recalled spending time with his then small children at Patton Park a decade ago. Days outside with the kids playing and parents cooking on the grill were interrupted by the need to use the restroom -- and the rush to find a place to take the children.

"You have to stop what you are doing and find a convenience store," Walker said. "It discourages the idea of even using the parks, or taking little kids to the parks."

Not much has changed in the years since. Walker said residents are frustrated by the same problem today at Wahouma Park.

"It has been an ongoing battle to have accessibility to the park and having the bathrooms open for events that the neighborhood wants to have," said Walker, who approached park officials with the issue recently. "Even though we spoke time and time again about accessibility to the park, the neighborhood has never had it."

Walker said Wahouma Park has a new walking track and basketball court, but users of those amenities have few options when it comes to restrooms. "They'd have to go behind a tree or something," he said.

Wahouma residents are willing to help by setting up a rotating citizens group that would monitor the park, Walker said. "We do understand there may be some security concerns, but the East Precinct is willing to work with us."

Park Board member Larry Cockrell, who heads the subcommittee, said he will meet with Wahouma residents at their June 7 neighborhood meeting to discuss the proposal.

In addition, Cockrell said the board will meet with Mayor William Bell's office about logistics, including security concerns and needed personnel.

"To have those facilities open, think about the manpower associated, and then the fact that they have to be cleaned on a daily basis," Cockrell said. "That can be pretty costly."

Cockrell said the subcommittee will have a recommendation for a full board vote in late June. The current evaluation concerns Wahouma Park, he said, but other parks could also get consideration.

"We'll deal with them on a case-by-case basis," he said.

Walker originally had proposed placing portable toilets in the park, with expenses paid by the neighborhood association.

But Parker instead asked the subcommittee to evaluate using existing restrooms instead, and broadened the discussion to include other parks.

Walker said residents are willing to help make a solution work. "If the city is honestly trying to work with the neighborhoods, we can come up with a solution that makes common sense," he said.